Into the Light

I think we have to be very careful before milk is dismissed.

Firstly we must look at Gurbani and see what Guru Jee says. Now if we look at Ramkali Ki Vaar, both Bhai Satta Jee & Bhai Balwand Jee praise Mata Kivi Jee for her seva in the langar and make particular reference to how beautiful the 'kheer' in the langar was.

balava(n)dd kheevee naek jan jis bahuthee shhaao pathraalee || la(n)gar dhoulath va(n)ddeeai ras a(n)mrith kheer ghiaalee ||
Balwand says that Khivi, the Guru's wife, is a noble woman, who gives soothing, leafy shade to all. She distributes the bounty of the Guru's Langar; the kheer - the rice pudding and ghee, is like sweet ambrosia.

Ang 967

Bhagat Dhanna Jee, who is not wealthy ask Vaheguroo Jee for some essential for him to servive in life:

dhaal seedhhaa maago gheeo ||
Lentils, flour and ghee - these things, I beg of You.

Ang 695

I’ve particularly not quoted Gurbani which refers to or uses mother’s milk as a metaphor. But the quotes above clearly show praise or highlight the necessity for milk or ghee (both being dairy). So clearly our Sat Guru, Sri Granth Sahib Jee Maharaaj speaks of milk with praise.

If you go further, all Mahapursh's speak of the importance of drinking milk and the inner and external use of Ghee for Naam Abhiyaas. Mahapurshes such as Sant Attar Singh Mastuanwale and Sant Gurbachan Singh Bhinderanwale (to name a few). So dairy is and has always been considered an important part of a Gursikhs diet.

But your concerns regarding milk is not without merit...actually i believe you are correct in that the milk readily available today is bad for us...but not all milk is. The milk available today is for commercial use, to be produced on mass, to look beautiful and have a long shelf life. In order to ensure this, todays milk goes through two processes, Homogenisation and Pasteurisation.

Homogensied milk ensures the fat never separates from the milk and remains consistent throughout the milk in order to beautify the milk, this is very dangerouse as the fat molecules become so small that they can go into our blood stream when we drink it, leading to all sorts of illnesses (cancer, arthritis).

Pasteurisation kills off all healthy bacteria that are essential to help us digest milk. Pasteurisation of milk is at extremely high temperatures, much higher than we can achieve on a stove, this also has negative effect on the milk and on our health but not to the extent the homogenised milk does. I'm not an expert on milk so i recommend everyone to please study homogenisation of milk in particular. Ask your parents about buffalo milk in Punjab and how the fat always rises to the top...well that doesn't happen in ur milk from the supermarket does it?

We need to go back to drinking milk how it was supposed to be. The best form of milk to drink that is both organic & raw...straight from a cow to ur fridge. The fat will still separate but a quick whisk with a spoon makes it mix and it will still have all the healthy bacteria present.

Unhomogenised milk is available today in shops in UK but is quite card to get, the only one i've found is Duchy milk from Waitrose...but this too is pasteurised so it's a compromise i make. Most people argue it's the homogenisation process of milk that is most dangerous to the human body, more than pasteurisation.

I thought i’d share my thoughts on milk especially since we are vegetarians. But the most important thing regarding the debate of milk for me is, did our Guru Sahibs drink milk or use it? Well, milk was used in kheer and ghee was and still is used in parshaad from Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee Mahraaj till today. So if Guru Sahib used milk, i think we should too, unless one is allergic or has lactose intolerance.

Thank you

Adding to S1ngh's point...i agree that most focus should be on online parchaar as it can go to the 4 corners of the world but face to face parchaar is essential too as in my experience it's here that we'll really see lives change….so in my opinion both are needed. From my experience people can have the most randomest questions that create doubts but in face to face parchaar these can be answered in Q&A sessions.

I think it's awesome that the youtube channel will move onto kids parchaar too as as a community we're so very behind so I think this is also really good too. It's soo important Sikhs have an online presence particularly on youtube. We generally have nothing but now we can will maan say, but we do have one now...hopefully this will give encouragement to others to step up too.

2 suggestions:

1) Maybe also look into an advance course which focuses on deeper study of Gurbani based on vykaran & sampadaic arths, ithihaas of the shabad ie where it was ucharred & why (etc) –as at the moment we seem to solely rely on STTM. Hopefully this will then encourage our youths to become scholars in Gurbani to uncover the antreev arths/deeper meanings of Gurbani.

2) Maybe try to setup a Sikholars equivalent initiative in UK whereby we can start encouraging our youth to become scholars and do veechar of all issues that are dear to our hearts. It's so important we start producing scholars in the UK who will then work on solutions and I think this could be something that could work well if done within Basics of Sikhi.

Overall, this is an amazing uprala and I really like that there is a strategy behind this uprala and it's not just random video's with different topics. It appears that you want the viewer to go on a lifecycle journey which then takes someone from a beginner to advanced level…which is really good.

I’m supporting you within my own means and I hope others do give donations too. We really need to start realising the importance of having full time parcharaks and not just parcharaks who do parchaar in their spare time…this can only happen if we fund projects such as basics of sikhi. My only advice to Basics of Sikhi is to keep doing what you’re doing and don’t wait for Sikh institutions to financially support this uprala…just continue to have faith in Guru Sahib & Guru Jee’s Sadhsangat.

All one needs to do is go onto Twitter and see what is being said. Even on issues such as Dera Sucha Sauda are being made out to be 'high caste' oppressing 'low caste'. We know this is untrue. This is now also being said about 1984 to bad mouth the movement. So if we can start highlighting Shaheeds from the movement who may have an ancestral background of the Ravidass community..it prevents such debate from taking place.

Whilst Sikhi is against the caste system...it's quite apparant that some members of the Ravidas community are vilifying the Dharam Yugh Morcha and the sangarsh that took place after by saying it was the 'high castes' oppressing the 'low castes'. Does anyone know namesof some Singh's/Singhni's from these time periods who attained Shaheedi and would have had ancestral lineage with the Ravidass community?

Thanks

At the time of Sri Guru Amar Dass Jee the nishan Sahib was white...it's evovled that's all

Try telling that to Guruka Singh and Gurumustuk SIngh who make these videos, they will say you are trapped in right and wrong, etc etc..

That's exactly what they'll say...but doesn't that also stand when they make video's saying Sikhs shouldn't eat meat. I suppose it's ok for Guruka singh to decide when someone is right or wrong...he's never trapped in right and wrong?!?

Ps i don't endorse eating meat

Some people say it was 7yrs, others 8months or 1year.

Does anyone know the exact time Guru Sahib were imprisoned for?

"However, Harper indicated the Conservative government would take action if it detects that those Sikhs turn to violence to advance their cause."

I think we'll start seeing Indian Gov sturring up trouble in Canada now.

On the positive side...India is shittting!!!! :biggrin2:

It's not just a dumalla thing, i would throw in gol dastaars too.

But worse still, is that it's these 'kids' with their pick and choose sikhi that are pushing alot of mone away by judging them and looking down on them, instead of giving them pyaar and satkaar.

http://www.sikhintro.com/1984map.html

Vaheguroo

i've listen to his koorh parchar and it's just laughable but you'd be surprised how many ppl will be influenced with what he says...why? Because he has the roop of a Gursikh. I met afew individuals that went to his talks in London at the Golden Temple exhibition...they left very confused and felt that clearly Sikhs are Hindu's.

They presented his points to a Gursikh i know and he ripped each point of Niddars to shreads.

Point being, he looks like an Amritdhari and new comers will beleive him, hence why it's vital correct parchar is done...to allow him to go unchallenged will be more dangerous in the long run. Things left unchallenged will bite you back in the long run.

Vadaiyaa to everyone on mata jee's prakash divas!!!

1.30pm standard specific, 9.30pm in UK?

After coventry...most people are going to think twice before having an inter-faith wedding at the Gurdwara. Who wants their bid day ruined?

I probably don't agree with the approach used but a Sikh should only marry a Sikh in a Gurdwara!

There's an Amrit Sanchar at West Bromich Gurdwara this Sunday for the 25 Singh Akhand Paath for Mata Sahib Kaur Jee's Janam Divas:

Please view the link below:

http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?/topic/68911-25-singh-akhand-path-mata-sahib-kaur-janam-divas/

The Warrior, do you think Niddar doesn't spew the same poison? According to him, we're all Malech Khalsa & SGPC Sikhs, who know nothing about Sikhi. So, thank god for Niddar who is our saviour and preserver of the Truth...lol

Ironically, Niddar is apparantly a vidvaan of Sikhi but still can't seem to string an english sentence together without saying 'whatchu ma call'

I'm sure the the publishers of the letter can reply to this.

However, with regard to the ludicrous yet laughable claim that Niddar 'thinks' he is the 'last warrior'...please have a read of this:

http://akalinihang.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/baba-giana-singh-shastarvidiya.html

^{We so need this...but to ensure the longetvity, i agree twe should have a fully paid individual and not just based on good will.}

^{Excellent idea...i will def support this initiative!}

Not all Nihangs have the same opinion that that Durga became pargat at Naina Devi. Baba Tirlokh Singh Kiayle Wale openly said, no Devi was pargat and Guru Sahib was doing Kandan of the Havan...Chandi is our shaster.

wow... from JK Rowling's book on Sikhs to SGPC to RSS agents... i like the flow of this thread thus far... keep it coming people ....

we are so beautifully paranoid about RSS agents infiltrating... instead we are not even talking about how we should stay strong and united not to allow that to happen....indeed astonishingly beauitful !

the article i have listed openly discusses the paranoia and vicitim mentality Sikhs of today have